Grace of Heaven
by Tori7
Summary: SEQUEL TO TORN BETWEEN ANGELS! After all that has happened, Roger and Dorothy must continue to solve the mystery that is Paradigm. R&R. NEXT CHAPTER IS FINALLY UP! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!
1. Author's Notes

WOOOOOOOOO! HERE IS THE SEQUEL TO TORN BETWEEN ANGELS! I hope you like it as much as the first. If you haven't read the first, you probably won't understand, so go back and look at it if you're a new reader.   
  
I promise to put just as much, if not more, effort in so I hope you enjoy. Gimme lots of reviews, and feel free to e-mail me at NeoTori7688@aol.com. Thanks!  
  
~*Tori*~ 


	2. Myriad Stars

He pried her small knees from the stone of the balcony. No doubt the police would have questions, even though the negotiator was sure Dorothy was safe from charges. It was clearly her life or Neilson's. Still, Roger dreaded having to watch the woman he loved go through that. He sighed quietly as he wrapped his arm around Dorothy's slender frame.  
  
They got inside, and sat on the couch in silence. Daustan stood outside still, staring blankly at the spilled blood of Angel and Neilson, and felt it would soon be safe to approach them for questioning.   
  
Roger had said he loved this girl. As long as the officer had known Roger Smith, he never seemed committed to any one person. Could it be the negotiator had finally found the one woman?   
  
Dorothy's head rested on Roger's shoulder as a sudden pounding rang out through her temples.  
  
"Roger," she asked. "What is this strange throbbing in my head?"   
  
"You have a headache. I'll go get you an aspirin."   
  
Roger kissed her hand gently before getting up and going to the kitchen. The memories of earlier moments stayed, the images frozen in her mind played on.   
  
The look he gave her...the panic...the pain...all the desperateness of fear, they all resided in Roger's gentle eyes. The moment the gun shots rang out, and the uncertainty hung in the air, she saw Roger lose his cool...that had never happened before. And then the one word that was so foreign to her, came out of his mouth, and it was directed right at her...he loved her.   
  
She sighed in contentment, though the pain continued. Neilson had been so sure of his plan. Now they would go to Heaven. Dorothy shook her head. How can more bloodshed lead to such a wonderful thing?   
  
Even with all the enhancements she had received, Dorothy was still partially android. Her brain was still mostly mechanical, even though tissue and blood had been added. The logical piece of her was screaming obscenities, but the rest of Dorothy's conscience self was numb with happiness.  
  
Roger reached up to the medicine cabinet in the corner of the kitchen. He began searching for some aspirin as his own temples began to throb. Daustan walked up behind him.  
  
"Are you going to be ok?" he asked gently.  
  
Roger then found the Bayer. He turned to Daustan smiling, a slight glaze over his eyes.  
  
"Dan," he said. "I've never felt better in my life."  
  
"It's just that you saw a lot of bloodshed today. I wanted to make sure you were all right."  
  
He sighed.  
  
"I have her...this is what I've wanted all along."  
  
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Well, there it is, the first chapter to the sequel of Torn Between Angels. TADA! ^_^ E-mails and reviews please people, this I live for! Let me know what to think. E-mail me at NeoTori7688@aol.com. Thanks everybody!  
  
~*Tori*~ 


	3. Gordon's Gift

Questions from the police had been asked and answered. Now they slept, a strange tranquility calmed the chaos around and within. Her head rose and fell with his chest. The couch seemed to go forever as an ultimate comfort was found. No nightmares haunted them...no faces plagued their souls...it was simple bliss. But through their sleeping abandon came an obnoxious ringing.   
  
Ugh...the phone...  
  
Norman walked in and as not to wake Dorothy, held up the phone for Roger in silence. Roger moved Dorothy from his embrace and laid her gently on the pillow. After one last glance and a half smile, he took the call.   
  
Roger didn't even have much time to respond to the caller. He was quick in saying that he wanted the negotiator to go somewhere in one of the domes.   
  
"That sounds more like a job for..."  
  
"No, it must be you!" the man responded, followed by a series of rough coughs. When the man caught his breath, he continued.  
  
  
  
"An address will be delivered to you within the next fifteen minutes. Don't ask questions, just go and see for yourself. All the answers you'll ever need will be written on the walls."  
  
**Click**  
  
::sighs::  
  
"Master Roger, is something wrong?" Norman asked as a worry came upon Roger's features.  
  
"I got a call. No name, no information at all, except that I would be getting an address. I have a weird feeling that I should go."  
  
...An hour later, Dorothy's eyes shot open. Her arms were empty, so she decided to find Roger. When she did, he was putting on his coat, his back to her. She snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms delicately around his waist.  
  
Roger felt a warmth as happiness overwhelmed his senses. He took a breath and turned to look at her. He gently stroked her face with the back of his hand.  
  
"Good morning sunshine!" he said.  
  
"Where are you going Roger?"   
  
"I have a job to attend to. I just got instructions dropped on the door step."  
  
Seeing her face drop, Roger sighed.  
  
"Dorothy, you're welcome to come along if you want."  
  
Her eyes brightened. Dorothy nodded, quickly changed, and grabbed her coat.   
  
...Roger moved with the traffic, curiosity had not yet carried him away. He peered at Dorothy from the corner of his eye. His heart couldn't help its quickening pace. Roger casually took the steering wheel with his left hand, and with his right, he enlaced his fingers with the Dorothy's.  
  
Dorothy closed her eyes and sat back, not releasing Roger's hand. Before she could even settle into her bliss, however, they were stopped next to an abandoned construction site just outside west dome number 2.   
  
They stepped out of the car only to find a hole dug in the ground with a ladder going on and on into the darkness. A note lay beside this abyss with a flashlight. It read,  
  
'Climb down, be not afraid, and let your hearts guide you.'  
  
To Roger's utter shock, the note was signed by Gordon Rosewater. After letting Dorothy read the note, Roger realized that she was unsure.   
  
"Are you positive you want to come with me?"   
  
Dorothy responded with a silent nod. As he walked closer to the hole, she grabbed his sleeve and pulled him into a passionate kiss.   
  
His heart stopped as their mouths joined and opened, allowing their tongues to gently do battle. Roger wrapped his arms around her waist so he could deepen the kiss. Her hands found their way to the back of his neck, and they enlaced themselves with his soft, ebony hair.   
  
When they parted, Dorothy was severely out of breath. Roger controlled his panting as not to scare her. He scooped her up into an embrace which seemed to last a sweet eternity. He whispered in her ear softly,  
  
"You're the one. I love you."  
  
Dorothy smiled and kissed his neck softly before they stepped back to look at one another.   
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
"Yes Roger."  
  
"I'll go first and you can hold the flashlight, ok? Just make sure you have a tight grip on the ladder. If you feel like you're slipping, I'll take the flashlight. If you want to turn around, you can wait for me up here."  
  
"I'm not afraid Roger. As long as you stay with me, I'll be all right."  
  
He smiled.  
  
"Ok then, let's go."  
  
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Are you dying to know what's down there? Well, you'll have to wait! HA! I warn you, I'm holding the next chapter hostage for reviews. So e-mail me at NeoTori7688@aol.com and leave LOTS of reviews. I love hearing from you. Thanks!  
  
~*Tori*~ 


	4. The Voice of Death

The darkness stretched forever. Dorothy turned the flashlight on, and they began their journey down into the abyss. The only sound was that of their feet stepping on the rungs of the ladder. The fear building inside them escaped through the beating of their hearts.  
  
Dorothy could feel every piece of her shaking with the burning unknown. Roger knew he would have to keep himself calmed, or else the woman he loved would be scared. He couldn't bare the thought of causing her such angst.   
  
They had been going down silently for ten minutes straight, both worried that this was a setup. Before they could say it, however, a reflection flashed from below them. Roger moved a few steps ahead, and soon placed his foot down on solid ground. Roger and Dorothy simultaneously sighed in relief.  
  
Silently, they walked on. Roger took the flashlight and led the way. They found themselves engulfed in light as florescent lights turned on. Now they could see where they were...drawers and drawers going up about six feet high, one on top of the other in long rows. A room of drawers.   
  
Roger's curiosity got the better of him, and without a second though, he opened a bottom drawer. Together they gasped and Dorothy covered her mouth to hold back a shocked scream. Roger and Dorothy were standing in a morgue.  
  
There lay an old man, his body covered in burns. A tag hung from his toe...Senator Trikelt...dead forty years.  
  
"This is incredible!" Roger said, exasperated. "Rosewater lead us here...but why?"  
  
Dorothy felt drawn to a drawer next to her. She reached out in hesitation, but quickly pulled out the body. Before she saw the face, Dorothy read the tag...Sybil Rowan.   
  
She suddenly lost all feeling...for a moment she stood silent and numb. Roger saw her in this bewildered state and ran to her aid.  
  
"Dorothy, what's wrong? Answer me, please!"  
  
Dorothy's eyes closed slowly, and she began chanting in her android tongue. All the drawers of the morgue shot open as she opened her eyes, and voices flooded her mind.   
  
Dorothy was overwhelmed by pleading voices. They were calling out for help, but they didn't move at all. The bodies laid still but the voices were loud and dripped with pain. Dorothy fell to her knees, covering her ears. It didn't help, but she wanted so badly to drown them out.  
  
Roger watched in awe as he looked at all of the bodies begin to twitch wildly, and then the arms of every body pointed at Dorothy. She gasped and then the arms of the bodies fell limp again. Roger took Dorothy into his arms.   
  
"What just happened?"  
  
"They want help...my help...I told them I couldn't, that it was too late, but they said I have no choice...I cannot avoid fate."  
  
"Don't be afraid. It's all right now. Let's get home, we can figure out this mystery later."  
  
Roger helped Dorothy to her feet and together they climbed back to the light.  
  
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Sorry it's taking me so long to update, but I'll be extremely busy until next week is over. Oki, so what do you think? I like where it's going. E-mail me at NeoTori7688@aol.com and leave me lots of reviews. THANKS!  
  
~*Tori*~ 


	5. Saviors & Love Making

WARNING: It's going to get a little sexual in this chapter...for those young children or people who aren't supposed to be reading stuff like that...COVER THINE VIRGIN EYES! Lol...Everyone else enjoy! ^_^  
  
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Dorothy was exhausted...so much so that she fell asleep during the brief ride home. Roger drove in silence, trying to make sense of things. Could Dorothy really hear voices? All the dead bodies moved...it was amazing! Roger would have been scared if not for the fact that he was in awe.   
  
Dorothy had seemed determined to drown out whatever they were saying. What could they possibly say to her to make her react like that? It was a mystery he had to solve.  
  
Roger carried Dorothy from the car seat and into the house. When he reached her bedroom door, he struggled to open it, stirring her from her sleep. Dorothy's eyes opened to look directly into his.   
  
"Stay with me." she said quietly.   
  
Without response, Roger moved into the room and placed her gently on the bed. He removed his jacket and sat next to her. Dorothy took his hand and kissed it gently, then pressed it to her cheek. Roger noticed the smoothness of her skin, and suddenly longed for more of it.  
  
Roger took her cheeks softly into his hands and kissed her passionately, pouring his heart and soul into her. She was frightened at first by his intensity, but calmed as she kissed him back. How they had longed for this kind of intimacy, but now that it had finally come to them, they both (Roger especially and uncharacteristically) found themselves scared...terrified...  
  
Roger pulled back to look into her eyes. He pulled Dorothy into an embrace as they sat on the bed in silence. He laid gentle kisses on her neck, Dorothy's mind was suddenly clouded with desire. Roger once again pulled away and looked at her. There she sat, her hair a little messy, a fire in her eyes.   
  
He didn't want to hurt her and wasn't sure if this kind of thing would hurt her. Roger decided then that he had to be sure she was ready.  
  
"Dorothy," he said between breaths. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"  
  
Without hesitation, Dorothy said,  
  
"I've never been more sure of anything."   
  
They disrobed one another, and gasped as naked flesh met naked flesh. A sudden sharp pain ran through Dorothy, and she shut her eyes so hard that tears began to fall. Roger thought he should pull away, but she didn't allow him. She smiled and said,  
  
"Don't leave. This feels so right!"  
  
And so they made love, unaware that the world below them was crumbling.   
  
...They slept wrapped in each other's embrace. Silence filled every void. On they slept through the night. A hand reached to her lips...a stranger's hand...  
  
...Roger awoke the next morning to find that he was alone. The balcony door was open...he figured Dorothy was just getting some air. Roger thought back to their beautiful night together. He'd never made love to any woman with such passion before.   
  
'I've never made love to a woman,' he thought with a smile. 'That I'm in love with.'   
  
Roger was broken from his bliss when he saw that the glass in the balcony door was broken. He ran out to find Dorothy sitting on the railing, but now that he could look beyond her, his eyes widened.   
  
Paradigm city had finally met its end. The city lay shrouded by thick smoke, rubble everywhere. People could be heard from underneath the fallen homes, calling out for help.   
  
There he stood, Roger Smith...speechless...unclear as to what happened. The body of Beck surrounded by a puddle of blood lay on the balcony floor. Dorothy turned when she heard Roger behind her.  
  
"What the hell happened?" he asked, trying to stay calm.   
  
Dorothy stood to look in his eyes, tears prickling at her own.   
  
"I did all I could Roger. I promise!"  
  
"Dorothy focus! What happened?"   
  
"Our world is ended. The evil is roaming the land." Dorothy gestured to the fallen homes. "We must dig them out."  
  
Roger followed Dorothy toward the bedroom, not taking his eyes off of her. Something had changed. It wasn't until he nearly tripped over the body on the ground that he remembered about Beck. Why was he dead? How did he die? Only the woman he loved had the answers.   
  
"Dorothy," he said with as much composure as he could muster. "How did Beck die?"   
  
"I was supposed to die with the city. I wouldn't let him take me."  
  
"What does that mean?"   
  
She turned to face him. Dorothy's features turned from fear to love. She fell into his arms.  
  
"It's very simple." she said quietly. "I can speak what the dead cannot. I've been enlightened."  
  
"Gordon Rosewater is dead, isn't he?"   
  
"Yes, which is why he had to give us they keys. But they know we have them now, and we have to protect them."  
  
"So Beck was sent to get them back from us?"  
  
Norman walked in with a ripped shirt and a bleeding arm.  
  
"Norman, you're bleeding! Roger, get me a bandage, will you?"   
  
"I'm all right Dorothy. I was helping the police clear some of the rubble." the old butler replied.  
  
"How in God's name did the mansion stay standing?" Roger thought out loud.  
  
"The two of you weren't meant to die, just me." Dorothy said softly.   
  
She bandaged Norman's arm. Roger put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Dorothy was surprised, she'd never seen him casually dressed...ever...but things were different. Now there were lives to save. Roger did the hero thing very well.  
  
"You should wait here Dorothy, you could get hurt." Roger said, Norman nodded in agreement.  
  
"No Roger, I want to help you. I owe them this."  
  
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TADA! Hehehehhehe...what do you think? I'm having so much fun with this! Sorry the updates take so long, but things are crazy here. E-mail me at NeoTori7688@aol.com and leave tons of reviews! I love getting the feedback. Thanks!  
  
~*Tori*~ 


	6. Warm Embrace

Digging out the people...listening to the screaming of children...some made it, some didn't. Two buildings stood without damage: Roger's home, and the home of the Paradigm Corp.   
  
Daustan saw Roger helping and approached him. The police officer's face looked dark...guilt-stricken. For the first time, Roger Smith saw Dan Daustan's eyes tear up.  
  
Dorothy felt sympathetic toward Daustan. He wiped his brow as a tear escaped his eye.  
  
"If only I'd been more careful," he said. "I could have done something."  
  
Dorothy put her hand gently on his shoulder.  
  
"Don't cry Daustan. You are not the guilty one."  
  
He dried his tears and nodded solemnly. They continued their work, as did every able citizen. Dorothy pulled smaller rocks off of the top. As she did this, she heard the screams of a young girl. She dug faster.  
  
"Please get me out! I can't breathe!" the girl shouted.  
  
"I'm coming! Keep talking to me." Dorothy responded, trying not to sound panicked.  
  
"Help me please!"   
  
Dorothy found that some of the rocks were too heavy to lift. Losing her strength when she got her modifications was something she suddenly regretted. She turned to Roger.  
  
"Roger," she called. "I need help!"   
  
Coughing could be heard from below.  
  
"Please hurry!" called the girl, her voice sounding more faint than before.  
  
"Hang in there sweetheart," Dorothy said as the tears began to fall. "We're almost there!"  
  
She and Roger lifted the larger rocks, and the frame of the girl was revealed. Her clothes were torn, her limbs were broken and bleeding, her spirit was torn. Roger carefully lifted the girl from her fallen home, and brought her down the pile of rubble. He laid her there, and Dorothy took her into her arms.  
  
"What's your name?" asked Dorothy, trying to keep the girl engaged in conversation.  
  
"What does it matter now? I'm fifteen years old, and I'm already hearing my death angel beckon me. I'm not afraid anymore."  
  
Dorothy's tears were now flowing without control.   
  
"Please," said Dorothy. "Please don't die!"  
  
The girl touched Dorothy's cheek.  
  
"Don't cry blessed one." she said quietly. "Ye not guilty!"  
  
Dorothy's eyes widened. A soft sigh carried the girl from life. Dorothy placed her down a little harder than she had meant.   
  
Roger looked over at her and ran to her side as Dorothy's head began to spasm and jerk. She started rambling in android tongues, thrashing and shaking against Roger's sturdy hands.   
  
The dead girl beside them suddenly got up and walked. She walked on until she came to the pile where they had pulled her from. She fell back down and her hand pointed to the dome. Dorothy screamed and awakened from her bewildered state.   
  
"Dorothy," Roger spoke quietly. "What did she say?"  
  
"She said something about Alex Rosewater...and..."  
  
"And what?"   
  
The tears found their way to the brims of her eyes once more as she said quietly,  
  
"A great fire."  
  
...Hours and hours of digging went on. As many deaths as there were, many still were rescued. Those that were able were asked to help in the rescue efforts, none refused. Those that were injured were brought to Roger's mansion. The hospital had burned to the ground earlier, so this was all they had. God knew Rosewater was no help!   
  
At the end of the day, a few workers decided to continue through the night. There would be a shift change at 3:00 a.m. Roger, Dorothy, and Norman helped the injured and served the workers. Luckily there was a plentiful supply of food and essentials in the emergency cellar, so everyone was fed, clothed, and cared for with much to spare.  
  
The incessant screaming that they had been hearing was finally beginning to die down. Some of the trapped were rescued, and some, Roger supposed, had finally decided to let go.   
  
The night seemed to go forever. Roger sat in bed with Dorothy in his room. The other rooms were filled to capacity. Roger was sure that his room would be for he and Dorothy only, unless there was absolutely no alternative. It turned out that there was plenty of room, and they stayed alone.  
  
He looked in her eyes. Dorothy was glowing, even in the midst of all the pain. He stroked her cheek. She smiled and stood before the bed.   
  
At a painfully slow pace, Dorothy lifted her shirt above her head. Roger felt his mouth fall open in spite of him, and a heat began to grow between his legs. He picked her up, and laid her gently on the bed. Roger traced the delicate line around her lips, and then dove into them.  
  
Dorothy lifted his shirt over his head and placed searing kisses down his chest. The world around them became hazy as they climbed under the covers. Roger positioned himself on top of Dorothy, and whispered quietly,  
  
"I love you more than anything."  
  
Dorothy chuckled and put her finger to his lips. She could feel his hardened manhood throbbing against her.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
He plunged into her, this time without pain.   
  
In and out...faster and faster...moans of pleasure filling every corner of the room. Her nails dug into the soft skin on his back as they moved. His hands roamed her delicate body without shame.   
  
Together they finished, chanting each other's names.   
  
The atmosphere began to cool but a few moments later. They pulled the covers up and fell into a peaceful slumber. There they would await the shift change.  
  
...Little did they know that the world had already shifted...  
  
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WOOOOHOOOO! What did you think of that? Pretty good, eh? Oki...e-mail me at NeoTori7688@aol.com and please feel free to leave TONS of reviews. Thanks!  
  
~*Tori*~ 


	7. Infinite

A knock came at the door a couple hours after they had finally settled down.   
  
"Roger?" Daustan whispered into the bedroom as he slowly opened the door.   
  
Roger Smith sat up as Dorothy rolled to her left side, pulling the blanket with her to cover her naked body. She slept on, and Roger didn't want to awaken her. At the sight of the woman next to Roger in bed, Daustan felt immediately embarrassed.  
  
"Oh, sorry Roger!" he whispered. "I didn't know..."  
  
"It's ok Dan." Roger whispered in reply as he slipped a pair of pants on from underneath the covers.   
  
He pulled a white shirt over his head and quickly laced up some sneakers. Roger kissed Dorothy's cheek before quickly striding across the room.   
  
"I think I should let her sleep." he said as he shut the door behind him.  
  
"So you and Dorothy, eh?" Daustan said with a chuckle. "Who'da thunk?"   
  
Roger sighed as the woman he loved grew further and further away from him.   
  
'Back to work we go.' Roger thought with a yawn of exhaustion.   
  
He stopped short and let out a gasp as he got a look out the window. All the people who had been sleeping near that window all began scurrying to a safer place as they screamed. The ground began to shake with fury.  
  
Daustan's eyes widened.  
  
"Dear God in Heaven..."   
  
...Dorothy's thoughts were clouded by sweet dreams. Suddenly, her soft clouds of solitude brought her to a nightmare.  
  
There she stood alone in the morgue she and Roger had found not forty-eight hours ago. None of the drawers were open and fear coursed through her veins, but something told Dorothy to walk on into the darkness.   
  
The florescent lights above began turning on as she walked under them. The silhouette of a woman began forming in the distance, standing in the aisle between the walls of drawers. As more of the lights turned on, Dorothy called out, but there was no sound.   
  
Dorothy then saw the woman get on her knees and open one of the bottom drawers. Pain began erupting within Dorothy's skin like electric shocks, and she fell as the pain became too intense.   
  
She opened her eyes again only to find that she was in darkness. It only lasted for a moment, for she was pulled from the darkness to look up at a woman. The light above them finally switched on and Angel's face looked down at her. Dorothy would have screamed, but found that she could not move her body, and every time she tried to speak, she could make no sound.   
  
Dorothy discovered that she was the one in the drawer. As crimson tears fell down her cheek, Angel kissed the tip of her first two fingers and touched them gently to Dorothy's cheek. She said quietly with a smile that dripped with irony,  
  
"Ye not guilty!"  
  
...Dorothy sat up and screamed as loud as she could. This time, however, sound definitely came out! She struggled with the sheets of the bed which wrapped themselves around her legs. A knock at the door startled her so that she gave another yelp.  
  
"Dorothy?" Norman called from the other side of the door. "Are you all right?"   
  
Dorothy looked down at her naked body, gasping for breath, and finding that she was in an empty bed, began slipping her clothes back on.  
  
"Yes Norman, I'm fine!" she called back. "I'll be out in a minute."  
  
Quickly she dressed and opened the door. Always the perfect gentleman, Norman was still standing there.   
  
"Are you sure you're all right? That scream of yours gave us all quite a scare!"  
  
Dorothy then remembered that there were still tons of people in the house. She hopped up and down as she slipped her sock on her foot.  
  
"I'm sorry Norman, I didn't mean to frighten you. I had a nightmare, that's all. Did I miss the shift change?"   
  
"You missed a lot more than that." he replied, gesturing to look in the living room.  
  
Dorothy ran there to see a crowd of people blocking the view out the large windows...all she could see was the red sky. She saw Roger and Daustan standing on the piano bench. Daustan stepped down as Dorothy approached them. Roger looked down at her and asked,  
  
"Are you sure you want to see this?"  
  
She nodded in silence, and then he took her hand. Daustan helped her step up and put his hand on her back to steady her as Roger lifted her by the hand. Dorothy stifled a scream at the site of it.  
  
There below them, the rubble was being engulfed in boiling lava. The world had split open and consumed the dead, but the damned still sat comfortably in Alex Rosewater's headquarters, the only other building still standing. In the air above the place where the chapel had been, something strange was floating.   
  
It was a balloon in the shape of a heart, one side was white, one side was black. One side had an angel's wing, one side had a bat's wing. The string underneath it looked like the tail of a devil, and came to a pointing arrow at the end which pointed straight down. The white side had something of a grin, the black side had no face at all. A single, black halo sat gently above it. This thing, whatever it was, stood as still as the night, but looked as devilish as sin itself.   
  
The rescue effort was of course over. People cried for those that were lost, but most thanked God that they had survived. Roger jumped down from the piano bench and whispered to Daustan,  
  
"Watch her for a few minutes."  
  
Daustan nodded and saw Dorothy's eyes follow Roger away.   
  
"Where is he going?" she asked with eyes still following him.  
  
Daustan climbed up to stand next to her.  
  
"He'll be right back. Are you afraid Dorothy?"   
  
Dorothy shook her head hesitantly as tears brimmed the eyes of the police officer.  
  
"Then you're braver than me." he replied.  
  
"But you're the leader of the military police. The officers look to you for guidance! Surely you are not afraid. You have so much courage."  
  
Daustan chuckled.  
  
"Courage does not excuse fear. That fear is always there, we police officers just learned how to tuck it away."  
  
Tears began dripping down Dorothy's face, and Daustan put his hand on her shoulder. He looked in her eyes and said with sincerity,  
  
"Don't be afraid of fear, Dorothy. It's all right that you're scared. Everyone in this room is unsure. You're not alone!"  
  
She nodded and fell silent again, looking right into the eye of the heart in the sky...   
  
...And she saw Roger having quiet words with Norman...  
  
...And she saw a police officer cry...  
  
...And she was still alive...  
  
...And suddenly she felt infinite...  
  
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So, what do you think? Good? Bad? ABSOLUTELY AMAZING??? E-mail me at NeoTori7688@aol.com and leave reviews to let me know what you think. Thanks! More is coming soon. I hope all of you have a safe and happy new year!  
  
~*Tori*~ 


	8. Ahren

Norman held his chin in thought as Roger spoke quietly to him. He nodded and shook his head when appropriate.  
  
"Yes Master Roger, Big O could definitely handle the trip. However, battling in conditions such as these is extremely risky."  
  
"Don't worry about me Norman. I've done risky before."  
  
...Dorothy's eyes were looking directly into the eye of the balloon in the sky. It was eerie how still it stood, and it had a malicious air about it. It wasn't until Roger took her hand that the eye contact she had been holding with it was disturbed.  
  
"Are you all right Dorothy?" he asked.  
  
"I'm not sure what I am right now. What do you suppose that thing is?"  
  
"A lot of the people are calling it a demon, some are calling it an angel. I don't know what to believe, but whatever it is, let's hope it's on our side."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean I'm going to need all the help I can get."  
  
"Are you saying what I pray you aren't saying?"  
  
"I'm afraid so...I'm going out there. Rosewater and I have a score to settle."  
  
"No Roger, you...you can't...I won't let you!"  
  
Roger tried to take her into his embrace, but Dorothy pushed him back and ran into their bedroom.   
  
The sheets in which they had made passionate love were still warm. Dorothy cried into the pillow that had been kicked to the foot of the bed. A knock came at the door, but Dorothy ignored it.  
  
Roger opened the door and walked in to see the love of his life sobbing on their bed.   
  
"I knew you were going to be upset, but you have to understand Dorothy. I have to finish this."  
  
"It's so dangerous Roger. If even one thing goes wrong with Big O, you'll be trapped out there. I would never forgive myself if I let you go."  
  
Dorothy looked away as a tear fell in spite of her. Roger pulled her into his arms again. She fought him a little, but this time he didn't let go.   
  
"The difference this time Dorothy, is that I have someone to come home to. That's something worth fighting for, and it's something worth winning for! I will come home, I promise."  
  
Dorothy nodded.  
  
"Let me go with you!"  
  
"No Dorothy, this is something I think I was meant to do alone."  
  
Dorothy's features turned blank as she snuggled herself into Roger's chest.  
  
"I'll be with you, if not in body I will be with you in spirit. You will not be alone Roger. Everyone here is on your side. You've saved so many people, we won't let anything happen to you."  
  
"I know."  
  
Roger got up and walked over to his dresser. He opened a drawer and pulled out a little black box.   
  
"I got this ring for you before all of this started."  
  
"Oh my God...Roger?"  
  
Roger got down on one knee.  
  
"When this battle is over I have every intention of making you my wife..."  
  
Dorothy gasped as he opened the box to reveal a three karat diamond ring.  
  
"...That is," he continued. "If you say yes."  
  
Dorothy threw herself into his arms.  
  
"Yes Roger! God yes!"  
  
...Rosewater looked upon the fiery hell that was once Paradigm City.  
  
"This is the perfect way to build our Utopia. It's too bad Neilson went and offed himself though, he would have been quite useful to me now. And Beck must be dead. He never did return from the job I sent him on."  
  
"Well sir," the woman behind him said quietly. "I didn't think Smith would let her die so easily."  
  
"No," Rosewater replied. "Neither did I. What do you make of our little sky dweller here? It's something I didn't plan on."  
  
"Would you like me to take care of it sir?"  
  
"Don't bother. Let's see if He's with us or against us."  
  
"Couldn't that be dangerous?"  
  
"Whether God is on our side or not, I'll prevail. There are some things even He can't prevent. Besides, I think the negotiator is going to try to stop me. Once I get him out of the way, this will be easy."  
  
"Should I prepare to send our secret weapons in?"  
  
"Not yet, Ahren. Let me take care of Roger Smith first."  
  
"Yes sir. I shall await your command."  
  
The woman kissed Rosewater's hand and left the room. A cryptic smile found its way to his face.  
  
"Roger Smith."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Oki...that's the next chapter. I'll be working on more very soon. "Ahren" means Angel in Russian just to let you know. ^_~ Keep reading, leave me some reviews, and feel free to e-mail me at NeoTori7688@aol.com. Thanks!  
  
~*Tori*~ 


	9. Never Aemoh

He was surrounded by metal and yet felt as if he was standing there alone. Roger Smith felt like he had just slipped on another layer of skin as he slid comfortably into the control unit of Big O. This was more than an organized heap of metal...it was what was standing between himself and death. And even as rare a find as a megadeus is, Roger knew that this one was greater than the norm...just like his life. And now Big O was knee-deep in what once was a thriving city street.   
  
...The people in the Smith living room crowded in front of the large window to see Big O defend them. It made Dorothy sick as she mentally compared them to a bunch of bloodthirsty tourists, awaiting the main attraction. She could take it no longer, and walked helplessly back to the bedroom.   
  
Dorothy drowned herself in bed sheets, still warm from the heated love making that had gone on. As the heat of Roger and Dorothy's passion began to slowly fade against her now clothed skin, Dorothy felt as though she should cry, but for some reason nothing came from that desire. The black bed glowed from the reflection of the lava beneath the room. Gently the room throbbed with the pains of the earth. As much as it hurt, Dorothy knew in the depths of her heart that Roger was safe.   
  
All kinds of thoughts began to grip her senses. Many flashed through her head, most of them starting with 'What if...' Roger had never once lied to her...it was a truth that she sometimes forgot. And tonight he promised his life to her. He wouldn't let anyone take it from her after all they had been through. And he promised to come home again...and Dorothy found an inner sense of peace, if only for a moment, knowing that the love of her life was out there fighting for her.  
  
...She would have screamed, but Dorothy had not the strength by the time the stinging stopped. A bang faded to darkness as her capture said quietly,  
  
"Will you bleed for the one you fear?"   
  
...Roger snorted in disgust as Rosewater stood on the roof of Paradigm Headquarters and began speaking into a megaphone.  
  
"What do you think of your new world, the one I have created? The weak have been swallowed and the strong have survived. Now you will live underneath a new deity...citizens of Aemoh!"  
  
Roger could hear the shouts of protest from his living room. Who was this man to proclaim himself a god and to change their city's name? Who was he to slaughter their friends, sons, daughters, wives, mothers, fathers, and husbands? They couldn't have all been so weak.   
  
"You are no god Rosewater!" cried Roger. "And we will not allow you to take what is ours!"   
  
The people cheered as Roger formed a grin across his lips. His adrenaline was at an all time high, and his senses were as sharp as they could be.   
  
"I already have what you love, Roger Smith."  
  
Roger cocked an eyebrow as Rosewater stepped out of sight. He stared up at the balloon in the sky, it's eyes now flashing red...  
  
..."I have brought her, sir."  
  
"You have done well Ahren. Or should I call ::you:: by that name miss Wayneright?"  
  
Dorothy's arms were bound by a metal bar above her head on a cross-shaped piece of what felt like concrete. Her feet were bound in the same way beneath her. Her prison was on wheels, as if Rosewater intended all of this.  
  
When Dorothy remained silent, Rosewater became visibly agitated. His features softened as he said,  
  
"What can I give you Dorothy? Money? Power? Tell me what you want and you will get it. All I ask is for you to hand me Roger Smith."  
  
She winced as he moved closer to gently cup her face in his rough hands.  
  
"After all, you are the only one who can."  
  
Dorothy moved quickly to bite Rosewater's hand. He yelped and backed away.   
  
"I would rather die!"  
  
Ahren chuckled.  
  
"She speaks." she mumbled.   
  
"Silence!" Rosewater snapped.  
  
Ahren, insulted, crossed her arms in front of her.  
  
"Ahren, see if you can't make miss Wayneright change her mind."  
  
"As you wish..."  
  
When Rosewater reached the door, Ahren whispered, "...stupid bastard..." Then she turned to Dorothy.   
  
This woman Rosewater called Ahren was tall and a bit heavy. She wore a loose, black dress that covered her entire body, and a black vale that put a shadow over her eyes, which caught a quick glance at Dorothy's engagement ring.  
  
"So, you're in love with Roger Smith? Isn't that a bit risky? After all, he's always putting his life on the line for a city that despises him. Why would you want to risk coming home to a corpse?"   
  
"I love Roger Smith."  
  
"Love? Nobody really knows what love is. Of all people to figure it out, are you telling me that a newly transformed bio-andriod is the one who finds it? Besides, if it weren't for Bart Neilson you wouldn't even be able to love. So really, your love is man made."   
  
"He may have given me a new way of life," Dorothy replied quickly, "But he couldn't have made me love Roger or anyone. That is my own genuine feeling!"   
  
Ahren punched Dorothy in the stomach...hard...and she felt as if the world was spinning out of control. Dorothy let her head drop. Ahren picked it up and slammed it on the back of the concrete cross.  
  
"Help Rosewater in his quest and your suffering will finally be ended. There is only death if you refuse him. Or worse...life without Roger. Can you live with that?"  
  
Dorothy's eyes stung as Ahren punched her in the face. Again she let her head drop so that she was staring at the floor. Blood dripped for the corner of her mouth as she heard Ahren scream and stutter,  
  
"W-what, y-you were supposed t-to be d-dead!"   
  
Dorothy looked up just in time to see Ahren, who's back was turned to her, throw her head back in pain and fall to the floor with a scream. A puddle of blood began to find its way from beneath the woman's body seconds later.   
  
Dorothy was in disbelief of who was standing in front of her. Surely her eyes were playing tricks on her. She had been hit hard, maybe she had died. No, she was in too much pain to be dead....the thought that she might be hallucinating was more tangible.  
  
But just as quickly as these thoughts had formed, they disappeared just as quickly as the blonde bombshell with giant white wings released her from her crucifixion.   
  
Just as the woman before her disappeared, Dorothy managed to whisper,  
  
"Angel..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Wow...what do you think so far? Thank you to everyone for your patience. It is greatly appreciated. I've been taking careful consideration in all the advice I have received. It has been very helpful. Arigato! ^_~ Something you should note: "Aemoh" is Russian for Demon, and as I mentioned before, "Ahren" is Russian for Angel. More is coming soon, so stay tuned!  
  
~*Tori*~ 


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